1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus which is arranged to record a signal on a recording medium while forming recording tracks on the medium selectively at some of a plurality of different track pitches and to reproduce the signal from the recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some of the conventional video tape recorders (hereinafter referred to as VTR) has been arranged to be capable of setting a plurality of tape travel speeds and thus to be capable of recording signals at a plurality of different track pitches. This arrangement necessitates discrimination between one track pitch and another in carrying out reproduction. In the case of a VTR of the type arranged to record a control signal relative to recording tracks in the longitudinal direction of a recording tape, for example, the above-stated track pitch discrimination is made by reproducing this control signal.
Meanwhile, a VTR of another type arranged not to record the above-stated control signal but to perform tracking control by the so-called four-frequency method, for example, has been making the track pitch discrimination by using a portion of a signal produced by a recording/reproducing head arrangement. However, it has been a problem with the VTR of this type that the track pitch discrimination cannot be accurately and promptly accomplished without recourse to complex structural arrangement.